


Dream About Waking

by rosecake



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Curses, Dreams, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-16 18:33:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9284744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosecake/pseuds/rosecake
Summary: Aurora is caught by a sleeping curse once again.  This time, she dreams of Mulan.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Alley_Skywalker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alley_Skywalker/gifts).



> This was written for Alley_Skywalker as part of the Fandom_Stocking community on Dreamwidth. I hope everyone has a lovely New Year!

Aurora had a lot of experience with sleeping curses. She could tell immediately by the nature of her dreaming that she wasn't just sleeping, and that she had instead somehow gotten on the wrong side of a witch or wizard and was now paying the price for it. Normal dreams were blurry, the scenes disconnected from each other. The dreams she had while cursed were different, though - more substantial. More real. 

Not so real that they could be confused with the actual waking world, though. The details still got fuzzy around the edges. And the way Mulan was pressed against her, fingers entangled in her hair? 

Yes, she was definitely dreaming. There was no other possible explanation. 

"You need to wake up," said Mulan. 

"I know," said Aurora. "It's just that I can't do it by myself."

***

Mulan had been a part of her life for long enough that Aurora's subconscious had no trouble coming up with a convincing facsimile. It was only a facsimile, though. And while it had been comforting at first, the wrongness of it quickly became alienating. A pressing and constant reminder of something that was missing.

Mulan had been missing from her life even before Aurora had fallen asleep, and the dream of her was making sure she could not forget the loneliness. 

"How long have I been sleeping?" she asked. 

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" asked Mulan. "You only get so much time in life. You shouldn't have to sacrifice any of it to a curse." 

"Yes, well, I'm not sure why I asked. It's not as if you would know any better than me." 

The dream Mulan frowned, and ran a hand against Aurora's cheek in what would have been a soothing gesture if it had been real. But it was only a dream, and Mulan's touch was insubstantial, feather-light and with no warmth to it. She might as well have been a ghost. 

It wasn't real, no matter how badly Aurora wished it were.

***

Aurora woke to the feeling of soft lips pressed against her own. She knew she was awake, really awake, before she even opened her eyes. She could tell by the familiar scent of her own rooms, the warmth of the face pressed against hers, and the reassuring weight of the arms pressing down into the bed on either side of her. All the senses besides sight and sound that made the world feel real were returned to her.

And she knew, beyond a doubt, who had woken her. 

"Mulan." 

Mulan immediately pulled away from her, but Aurora was quick enough to catch her arm, stopping her from getting too far. 

"I'm sorry-" started Mulan, but she was interrupted when Aurora pulled hard on her arm, knocking her off balance and pulling her back onto the bed. 

"Don't say that," said Aurora. Mulan was half on top of her, and Aurora relished in the weight of her, wrapping her arms around her tightly so that she couldn't pull away again. 

"You know how curses go," said Aurora. "The kiss doesn't work if I don't love you back." 

Mulan was quiet, and for a moment Aurora thought she might start crying. But eventually she sighed, the tension draining from her body, and shifted so that her head was resting on Aurora's shoulder. Aurora took the opportunity to run her fingers through Mulan's hair, letting them get caught up in the dark strands. 

"I should have told you sooner," said Mulan. 

"It's fine," said Aurora. "Now we both know."


End file.
